GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD MEETING
Commencing at 7:30pm
on
Wednesday 1 April 2015
Geraldine Library/Service Centre Talbot Street Geraldine TIMARU DISTRICT COUNCIL
Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the Geraldine Community Board will be held in the Geraldine Library/Service Centre, Talbot Street, Geraldine, on Wednesday 1 April 2015, at 7:30pm.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES (MEMBERS’ INTERESTS) ACT 1968
Community Board members are reminded that if you have a pecuniary interest in any item on the agenda, then you must declare this interest and refrain from discussing or voting on this item, and are advised to withdraw from the meeting table.
Peter Nixon CHIEF EXECUTIVE
GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD
1 APRIL 2015
AGENDA
Item Page No No
1 Apologies
2 Public Forum
3 Identification of Items of Urgent Business
4 Identification of Matters of a Minor Nature
5 Chairman’s Report
6 1 Confirmation of Minutes
7 5 Long Term Plan 2015-25 Consultation Document
8 7 Exchange of Reserve Land – Orari and Rangitata
9 14 Street Tree Outside Geraldine RSA
10 17 Surveillance Cameras In Geraldine
11 21 Geraldine Visitor Marketing Strategy
12 Consideration of Urgent Business Items
13 Consideration of Minor Nature Matters
14 Board Members’ Reports
15 51 Exclusion of the Public
16 53 Confirmation of Minutes
17 56 Readmittance of the Public
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 1 April 2015
GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD
FOR THE MEETING OF 1 APRIL 2015
Report for Agenda Item No 6
Prepared by Joanne Brownie Council Secretary
Confirmation of Minutes
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Minutes of the Geraldine Community Board February meeting.
Recommendation
That the minutes of the Geraldine Community Board meeting held on 4 February 2015, be confirmed as a true and correct record.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 1 1 April 2015
TIMARU DISTRICT COUNCIL
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD, HELD IN THE MEETING ROOM, GERALDINE LIBRARY/SERVICE CENTRE, TALBOT STREET, GERALDINE ON WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 AT 7.30PM
PRESENT Wayne O’Donnell (Chairperson), Shaun Cleverley, Jan Finlayson, Chris Fisher, Jarrod Marsden, McGregor Simpson and Clr Kerry Stevens
APOLOGY Clr Dave Jack (for in attendance)
IN ATTENDANCE Group Manager Corporate Services (Tina Rogers), Council Secretary (Joanne Brownie)
1 IDENTIFICATION OF MATTERS OF A MINOR NATURE The Board agreed to discuss plants in Cox Street suffering from the drought conditions and vehicles numbers in Talbot Street as items of a minor nature.
2 CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT The Chairperson reported on duties he had undertaken and meetings he had attended on behalf of the Board including the Geraldine Community Board Christmas function, Community Bus Trust function, meeting regarding mountainbike challenge event, an update on the water supply and a proposal to transfer traffic lights to the Orari Bridge when they are removed from the Clandeboye Bridge.
Proposed Wayne O’Donnell Seconded Clr Kerry Stevens
“That the Board requests Council investigates with NZTA the possibility of transferring the traffic lights ex Clandeboye bridge to the Orari Bridge.”
MOTION CARRIED
3 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC
Proposed Wayne O’Donnell Seconded Clr Kerry Stevens
“That the Board resolves to exclude the public on the grounds contained in Section 48(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act: Conflict of Interest Section 7(2)(a) The withholding of the information is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons.”
MOTION CARRIED
4 READMITTANCE OF THE PUBLIC
Proposed Wayne O’Donnell Seconded Shaun Cleverley
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 2 1 April 2015
“That the public be readmitted to the meeting.”
MOTION CARRIED
5 CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES
Proposed Jan Finlayson Seconded Chris Fisher
“That the minutes of the Geraldine Community Board meeting held on 12 November 2014, be confirmed as a true and correct record.”
MOTION CARRIED
6 DRAFT LONG TERM PLAN AND BUDGET FOR THE PERIOD 1 JULY 2015 TO 30 JUNE 2025 The Board considered a report by the Group Manager Corporate Services and Corporate Planning Manager on the draft budget, activity statements from the Long Term Plan and fees and charges.
Proposed Jan Finlayson Seconded Chris Fisher
“a That the Geraldine Community Board notes the proposed 2015/2025 Preliminary Draft Budget and Activity Statements.
b That the Geraldine Community Board makes the following recommendations in regard to additional expenditure items where different from the management priority:
Priority Art gallery – extend storage and Museum - offsite storage and building extension
Defer until the TDC earthquake strengthening assessments of civic buildings are completed as the assessments may result in suitable buildings becoming available that would be adequate for storage purposes because they are no longer suitable for human occupation.
Waitohi Bush extension medium if funding from grazing could be used to fund the planting
Waste minimisation – public place recycling high as it is desirable to extend the life of the landfill, encourage people to compost and reduce waste
Subsidisable Roading – McKechnie Street extension low for land purchase and land formation but high for land designation, which may not be costly
Subsidisable Roading – new cycleways on and off road medium
Properties – Cox Street Geraldine carpark sealing medium
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 3 1 April 2015
Properties – purchase Hopgood Lane Geraldine (net cost) medium Support use of Geraldine Endowment Land Fund for this purpose
Additional Geraldine new footpaths $10,000pa from 2015/16 high.”
MOTION CARRIED
7 CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS OF A MINOR NATURE Plants in Drought Conditions Mr Simpson expressed concern at the rhododendrons near the Cox Street public toilets dying due to lack of water in the current drought conditions and an oak tree which is on a lean near the motor camp and may be a health and safety issue. He also referred to a cracked willow tree in the Arundel reserve - all issues which he has reported to Council. The Chairperson will visit both sites with Mr Simpson and progress the issues.
Vehicle Numbers in Talbot Street Mr Simpson reported he had undertaken a traffic count in Talbot Street on 27 January and noted there were 703 vehicle movements in one hour, some travelling at excessive speed. He is aware that Talbot Street is under the jurisdiction of NZTA. The Chairperson will raise the issue with Council’s Land Transport Manager.
8 BOARD MEMBERS’ REPORTS Board members reported on duties they had carried out and meetings they had attended since the last Board meeting including the Local Arts Assessment Committee, Orari-Opihi-Pareora Water Zone Committee, Future Living Festival, planning for another Water Forum, Community Cinema Trust, welcome to the new Geraldine High School principal the following day, Geraldine Arts and Plants Festival, Geraldine Environmental Trust, Geraldine Visitor Marketing Strategy consultation meeting, multi-day mountainbike race planning meeting, Geraldine HEARTsafe and discussions with Geraldine residents.
The meeting concluded at 10.25pm.
______Chairperson
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 4 1 April 2015
GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD
FOR THE MEETING OF 1 APRIL 2015
Report for Agenda Item No 7
Prepared by Mark Low Corporate Planning Manager
Long Term Plan 2015-25 Consultation Document
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Purpose of Report The purpose of this report is to present the Consultation Document for the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan.
Background The Council is preparing the Long Term Plan for which the Consultation Document is the key document for public consultation. This is prepared under Section 93A of the Local Government Act.
As advised to the Board earlier in the year, the consultation process for the LTP differs from previous LTP processes in that Council is now required to prepare a specific consultation document on the LTP. The purpose of the Consultation Document is to provide an effective basis for public participation in local authority decision-making processes relating to the content of the long term plan. The content of the consultation document is prescribed in section 93B of the Local Government Act 2002. This document will be the major consultation tool for the LTP consultation.
The consultation document must contain a report from the Auditor-General on whether the consultation document gives effect to the purpose of section 93B; and the quality of the information and assumptions underlying the information provided in the consultation document. Their report is included in the document.
Consultation The Consultation Document and LTP supporting information have now been released for public consultation. Submissions will close on 28 April 2015. The Consultation Document was distributed to residents through The Courier community newspaper on Thursday 26 March 2015. Supporting information will be available at Council offices and on the Council’s website.
Consultation on the Long Term Plan will include the following mechanisms: Wide availability of the consultation document through delivery in a community newspaper and on Council’s website. The CD is designed to be an easy to read, accessible and user friendly document, with a return feedback form that will be replicated through the Council’s website, inviting even easier online feedback. Availability of all supporting information through specifically designed website pages Radio advertising Prominent displays and information availability at key Council venues CD mailout to all interested groups and invite for Council representative for presentation Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 5 1 April 2015
Schools project Council noticeboard and community newspaper programme of articles and advertising Specific ‘Are we there yet?’ Facebook page Giggle TV promotion Possible LTP mobile displays at key venues Other methods, as time, cost and resources allow.
As previously discussed the consultation tagline is ‘Are we there yet?’, inviting both community feedback on the proposals outlined as part of the LTP consultation document and in terms of what is important for the future of Timaru district. The Mayor and Councillors will provide the ‘face’ of the LTP consultation process.
Hearings are planned for the week commencing 25 May. Submission feedback will be considered following the hearing of submissions. The full LTP document will then be prepared for the final audit process. Adoption of the full LTP is planned for 23 June.
Copies of the Consultation Document have been distributed electronically with this report and hard copies will be available at the board meeting.
Recommendation
That the Community Board receives and notes the LTP 2015-25 Consultation Document and this report.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 6 1 April 2015
GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD
FOR THE MEETING OF 1 APRIL 2015
Report for Agenda Item No 8
Prepared by Matt Ambler Property Manager
Exchange of Reserve Land – Orari and Rangitata (File P3/29/15)
______
Purpose of Report To seek the Board’s recommendation in support of negotiating the exchanges of parcels of land at two locations. Approval to exchange is subject to the agreement of the Minister of Conservation, who requires a resolution from Council in support of the applications.
Background The two parcels of land are located at Orari, between the Orari – Geraldine Road and Orari Back Road, and on the Rangitata – Orari Bridge Highway road, (State Highway 79) respectively. They are depicted on the attached plans, which show the respective relationships with the proposed areas to be taken in exchange, subject to approval.
Appendix A depicts the proposed Leary land exchange. Area A edged red is the area sought by the applicant, and Area B edged yellow is the parcel (to be surveyed) being offered in exchange.
Appendix B depicts the proposed McNab land exchange. The existing reserve is shown red, and the proposed exchange parcel is shown yellow.
Both parcels are local purpose reserves. The Orari Reserve 4888, was vested with Council for plantation purposes in 1961. The majority of the reserve is planted in a range of deciduous trees, under the ‘Roadside Pride’ programme, managed by the Parks and Recreation unit.
The exchange processes were initiated by differing reasons. Mr Leary at Orari had built part of his residential area due to an administrative error in the 1980’s, and wishes to ratify his boundaries.
Mr McNab, who owns the land surrounding the reserve at Rangitata, initiated the exchange because he wishes to install improved irrigation for his farm. The subject reserve, Reserve 2161, was vested with the Council for a gravel reserve in 1886. The gravel reserve has been exhausted and subsequently filled, and has been so for a number of years.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 7 1 April 2015
It is proposed to acquire an equivalent parcel of land from each party, to be classified as local purpose reserves. The McNab land could lend itself well to enhancing the plantation portfolio.
The two parcels of reserve land were separately advertised on 1 and 29 November 2014. A copy of the advertisements placed in the Timaru Herald is attached (Appendix C). No submissions were received in respect of either land parcel.
Recently (27 February 2015), the Planning unit received an application from Irricon on behalf of McNab Dairies for a site upon which to position a water storage dam. The proposed dam site straddles the reserve land. The application plan (Appendix D) depicts the site relationship to the reserve shown on Appendix B, and to the adjacent Transpower pylon and overhead transmission lines.
The application has been placed on hold pending the process as regards the Reserves Act 1977 being completed satisfactorily.
Options The options are to consider are to either agree to support the recommendation, or to decline the recommendation, and maintain the status quo.
The preferred option is to support the recommendation, as neither exchange is seen as disadvantaging Council, and both provide a positive opportunity to the respective applicants.
Identification of Relevant Legislation, Council Policy and Plans The exchange of reserve land is subject to the processes described in Section 15 of the Reserves Act 1977. Public notification of the intention, and the support of the Minister of Conservation are required requisites to seeking approval. Should approval be obtained, the process is subject to a survey.
The Department of Conservation may request our obtaining a valuation, to show whether there is an equality of land values, to advise the Minister, when the proposal is considered.
The Planning process will be dependent on the outcome of Reserves Act process.
Assessment of Significance The proposal is not seen as a significant item in terms of Council policy.
Consultation There have been a number of discussions with the owner at Orari, including site meetings. The Parks and Recreation unit has also been involved with these discussions and meetings.
The Regional Conservator’s Office of the Department of Conservation has provided opinions and guidance. The Department wishes to undertake an environmental assessment of Reserve 2161 at some point in the near future.
Other Considerations There are no other considerations not already described in this report.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 8 1 April 2015
Funding Implications While there is no financial advantage to Council, there is a longer term potential to maximise one of the proposed exchange sites for a return from forestry.
Conclusion The proposed land exchanges are seen as a direct process under the Reserves Act 1977. The additional proposal by Mr McNab to construct a dam is essentially dependent on the exchange being approved and completed successfully.
Recommendations
1 That the Board considers the land exchange proposals and recommends to the Community Development Committee its support of the exchanges proceeding, subject to the Reserves Act 1977.
2 That the Chief Executive seeks the Minister of Conservation’s approval to the exchanges.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 9 1 April 2015
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 10 1 April 2015
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 11 1 April 2015
Appendix C
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 12 1 April 2015
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 13 1 April 2015
GERALDINE COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
FOR THE MEETING OF 1 APRIL 2015
Report for Agenda Item No 9
Prepared by Bill Steans Parks and Recreation Manager
Street Tree Outside Geraldine RSA
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Purpose of Report This report is presented to consider the request from the President of the Geraldine RSA to replace the existing Tulip Tree outside the Geraldine RSA clubrooms, (attached).
Background Nearly 20 years ago the Geraldine Commercial Business District was upgraded. The upgrade included furniture, street layout, footpath surfacing and planting including the planting of a single species of Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Arnold’ which is a smaller growing Tulip Tree. These trees were chosen because of their upright form, the fact they were non invasive and tolerate compacted soil. The aim was to provide an avenue style planting. This was publicly consulted on at the time.
The request to replace the tree outside the RSA is based on the fact that the RSA sign and flagpole are partly obscured by the tree and are difficult to see. An option of relocating the flag pole was not favoured by the RSA. Some members wanted the tree removed and the area kept open rather than replanting another tree.
A compromise has since been reached within the club where the club would prefer to have a smaller tree planted that could have a commemorative plaque to acknowledge the historical significance of 1915 to both the RSA and the Red Cross. The local Red Cross has agreed to the concept of a tree and plaque but not the position of the tree at this stage.
Options There are several options available in this situation. 1. Remove the existing Tulip Tree and plant a smaller tree in the same location. This would involve installing root barrier cloth. The Land Transport Manager would prefer any replacement tree to have small leaves. 2. Decline the request and leave the existing tree to contribute to the avenue planting. It is possible to remove lower limbs of the tree. This would provide a clear trunk at the base and improve visibility of the clubrooms. 3. Remove the existing tree and not plant a replacement tree. 4. Plant a commemorative tree in another location within Geraldine. It should be noted that the current dry conditions and water restrictions are not conducive to tree planting. This may improve before ANZAC day but there are no guarantees.
Identification of Relevant Legislation, Council Policy and Plans Not Applicable
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 14 1 April 2015
Assessment of Significance This matter is not deemed significant under the Council’s Significance Policy.
Consultation A brief phone discussion took place between the writer and the President of the Geraldine RSA to clarify the situation.
Other Considerations There are no other considerations relevant to this matter.
Funding Implications The cost to remove the existing tree and replant another would be about $600.00 excluding GST. This has not been specifically allowed for in the budget.
To plant a tree in another location would be about $300.00 excluding GST. A plaque would be additional to this and depending on the material and size, may cost about $100.00 excluding GST, although this is only an estimate.
Conclusion The Geraldine Community Board has recently expressed an interest in being involved in decision making for the planting of commemorative trees and any new tree is proposed to be commemorative.
A compromise solution may be to trim the tree outside the RSA to reduce its width and plant another tree at a different location.
Recommendation
That the Geraldine Community Board considers the application for removal of the tree outside the RSA clubrooms and the planting of a commemorate tree.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 15 1 April 2015
Forwarded Message ----- From: Campbell
Hi Kerry,
Anzac day is fast approaching and there is a matter we would be pleased if you could deal with in the not to distant future. Which is the tree that has grown rather large outside the RSA rooms. This is blocking our flag pole and the corner RSA of the building. If this tree could be removed then the idea is to plant a more suitable tree to commemorate the centenary. We would have a plaque put there in commemoration, and in conjunction with the local Red Cross whose centennial it also is, and with the relationship of 1915 between the two, this would be ideal. Ray Coster of Red Cross has agreed to the concept, but not the position of the tree at this stage.
Kind regards,
Campbell Paton President Geraldine RSA
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 16 1 April 2015
GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD
FOR THE MEETING OF 1 APRIL 2015
Report for Agenda Item No 10
Prepared by Andrew Dixon Land Transport Manager
Surveillance Cameras in Geraldine (File R3/23/3)
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Purpose of Report To inform the Geraldine Community Board on the cost of extending the coverage of the surveillance cameras in the Geraldine main street.
Background At the meeting on 13 November 2013 the Geraldine Community Board considered a report of the options to install surveillance cameras to monitor the main street (Talbot Street). The options included coverage of the entire main street but due to funding constraints a partial coverage option focusing on the village square was supported.
The Board resolved as follows:
“SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS IN GERALDINE (File R3/23/3) The Chairman declared an interest in this issue and did not take part in the discussion or voting.
The Board considered a report by the Land Transport Manager on the possibility of installing surveillance cameras in the main street in Geraldine. The Board did not favour Option One due to the cost ($40,000) but did agree that some security camera system is desirable, to give the public a sense of safety.
Proposed Clr Kerry Stevens Seconded McGregor Simpson
“That the Board recommend to Council that provision be made in the 2014/15 draft annual plan and budget for Option Three – minimum number of cameras, including data recording, transmission and receiving equipment and two cameras providing surveillance of Talbot Street in the vicinity of the Village Inn.”
It was acknowledged at the time that the system could be expanded in the future.
The current system consists of two cameras and a data link to recording equipment located in the Geraldine Police Station as shown below.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 17 1 April 2015
Options To ensure good coverage of the Geraldine town centre main street eight static cameras linked to two microwave stations are proposed. This will build on the existing system to provide the extended coverage.
A plan showing the proposed camera positions is shown below:
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 18 1 April 2015
The cameras would be attached to existing street light columns above the banners. Images data would be transmitted by microwave to the existing recording device capable of recording images digitally for one month located at the Geraldine Police Station.
This system would require an additional capital expenditure funding of $35,000 excluding GST.
The annual operating cost is minimised as it is expected that police will monitor the system. Operating costs including depreciation are estimated to be $5,000 per annum.
Identification of Relevant Legislation, Council Policy and Plans Local Government Act 2002; Timaru District Plan; Timaru District Draft LTP 2015-25.
Assessment of Significance This matter is not deemed significant under the Council’s Significance Policy.
Consultation It is recommended that police be consulted on the position and coverage of proposed surveillance cameras prior to installation.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 19 1 April 2015
Other Considerations Surveillance cameras are a valuable crime prevention tool to support normal police operations in improving community safety. The cameras are used by police, not only to visually record a crime being committed, but also as an intelligence gathering tool with movements of people and vehicles recorded.
It is critical that there be adequate data storage capacity to allow the recording of images for at least 28 days, as crimes may be reported some time after the incident occurs, or an incident may be linked to a crime elsewhere.
Electronic equipment technology is changing rapidly and generally becomes outdated in a relatively short period. If a community surveillance system was installed there would need to be an ongoing commitment to ensure that timely renewals or upgrades are programmed and funded.
Surveillance cameras have associated privacy considerations. However, these are mitigated by the monitoring and recording of images being held with police and the installation of signage informing the public that they are entering a camera surveillance area.
Funding Implications There is no funding allocated in the Draft Long Term Plan 2015-25 for the installation of additional surveillance cameras in Geraldine.
Conclusion The installation of surveillance cameras in the Geraldine CBD can assist in improving the safety and security of the community, providing police with another “tool in the tool box” allowing more intelligence gathering to solve crime. The existing cameras have been successful for this but are not generally a crime prevention tool and do not replace other crime prevention methods or policing.
It is proposed that the current system consisting of static cameras be extended to increase the coverage area. The images are wirelessly transmitted to a central location being the Geraldine Police Station. This offers many advantages with security of the data and privacy issues.
The cost of an extended surveillance system that would provide good coverage of the Geraldine CBD main street is estimated to cost $35,000 excluding GST. There is no capital expenditure funding allocated in the Draft LTP 2015-15 for this project.
Recommendation That the report be received.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 20 1 April 2015
GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD
FOR THE MEETING OF 1 APRIL 2015
Report for Agenda Item No 11
Prepared by TRC Tourism
Geraldine Visitor Marketing Strategy
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Attached is the Geraldine Visitor Marketing Strategy as prepared by TRC Tourism.
Recommendation
To be received and noted.
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 21 1 April 2015
Geraldine
Visitor Marketing Strategy 2015- 2020
January 2015
Prepared for Geraldine Community Board
Prepared by TRC Tourism
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 22 1 April 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. PURPOSE OF THE MARKETING STRATEGY 3
2 STAKEHOLDERS 3
3. THE GERALDINE REGION 4
3.1. Current Visitors 5
3.2. Value and Conribution of Tourism to the Timaru District Economy 7
4. CONTEXT FOR THE FUTURE Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.1. Travel Trends Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.2. Challenges for Geraldine Error! Bookmark not defined.
5. FUTURE VISITORS/ TARGET MARKETS Error! Bookmark not defined.
6. MARKETING STRATEGY Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.1. Goal Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.2. Geraldine Destination Brand Values Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.3. Marketing Objectives Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.4. Marketing Action Plan Error! Bookmark not defined. 6.4.1. Advertising and Promotion Error! Bookmark not defined. 6.4.2. Product Development and Enhancement Error! Bookmark not defined. 6.4.3. Research and Monitoring Error! Bookmark not defined.
7. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION Error! Bookmark not defined.
7.1. Tourism Industry Coordination and Action 28
7.2 Ownership 28
7.3 Funding 29
1. PURPOSE OF THE MARKETING STRATEGY
This marketing strategy is being prepared to provide the Geraldine community with a clear direction on how to maximise tourism marketing for the area.
This strategy includes a comprehensive and actionable marketing plan that is specifically targeted at the following goals:
Increase visitation to the Geraldine area; and /or Increase visitor length of stay in the Geraldine area; and/or Increase visitor expenditure in the Geraldine area.
Geraldine is an important town in the Timaru district in the South Canterbury region. It has a population of 2600 as at the last census and is the third largest town in the district. Geraldine occupies a significant position for the travelling public, being at the entrance to the Mackenzie Country and the last significant town when leaving the Canterbury Plains.
Aoraki Development Business and Tourism1 is one of the key players in the marketing of Geraldine as a visitor destination. In addition Go Geraldine2 has a significant interest in the overall promotion of the district as well as promoting the prosperity of the tourism sector in Geraldine.
2. STAKEHOLDERS
The individual businesses, agencies and groups who currently have a stake in the Geraldine visitor industry and its marketing are:
Individual tourism businesses Indirect businesses that benefit from tourism (eg convenience stores, petrol stations, produce suppliers) Go Geraldine Timaru District Council Aoraki Development Business and Tourism
1 Aoraki Development Business and Tourism is the regional Economic Development Agency. It has the following mission: To enhance the economic well-being of the South Canterbury Aoraki region by sustaining, growing and attracting businesses and visitors. 2 Go Geraldine is a member organisation with the objects of: *Develop and promote the Geraldine district, including the rural communities, as a vibrant place in which to live, work, play and stay. This includes all business, cultural, social, recreational, amenities and attractions available in the Geraldine District and surrounding areas. *To assist ain establishing, building and encouraging a strong and healthy business environment in the wider Geraldine district, where locals support locals for the common good. Go Geraldine is an active organisation with over 100 current members.
3. THE GERALDINE REGION
Geraldine is the gateway to the Mackenzie country from the north. It is the key town that signals the change from the Canterbury plains to the high country of the Mackenzie basin.
With a population of around 2,600 the town largely fulfils the function of a service town for the surrounding region and its agriculture. The town is also a significant tourism stop/destination for visitors.
At the present time there is significant growth proposed in the Mackenzie country to accommodate forecast tourism growth. Two new hotels and an increased backpacker development have recently been announced at Tekapo. Geraldine will be a beneficiary of this development and increased visitor flows, being the stopover point between Christchurch and Tekapo.
However, Geraldine has not had significant growth in the recent past with a 2.7% increase in population over the last 7 years as recorded by the 2013 census3. Geraldine comprises just over 5% of the Timaru District population which has had a similar growth of 2.5% since 2006. The whole region could therefore be described as stable with no significant local population growth drivers at the current time.
While there is some development in the region, there remain economic growth challenges. With the aggregation of large scale farming, there is increased concentration of processing, reduced farm labour inputs, and more specialised inputs are required to manage the higher level of capital inputs and more sophisticated systems that are being operated.
The trend to online shopping and also increasingly, big box retail and large chains dominating whiteware and household goods purchases, means that there is limited opportunity for growth in the retail sector from demand by the resident and surrounding regional population.
Increasingly it will be the visitor population that will be an important ingredient in supporting a vibrant retail sector within the town. Evidence of this already exists – it is unlikely that 2600 people can support three chocolatiers!
Having been established in the 1840’s Geraldine has a comparatively long history and much of that history remains intact today. The long history of settlement and the stable nature of the town population has meant that the town presents a streetscape and structure that continues to be consistent with the scale of the town and is largely fully occupied. It shows a vibrant commercial area to the visitor and provides a wide range of services and retail opportunities to residents and visitors.
3 http://www.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-about-a- place.aspx?request_value=14935&parent_id=14926&tabname=
Outside the township in the wider region there are many heritage destinations, buildings and experiences that date back to the 1840’s. This presents some desirable tourism experiences for visitors.
With the rapid transformation of the Canterbury plains to large scale dairy with irrigation, the nature of the surrounding region of Geraldine stands out as one that retains aspects of a more forested and “English” landscape.
There are a diversity of tourism offerings in the wider region that attract significant visitation as individual activities. These include rafting, mountain biking and horse trekking. The town however, has limited attractions and does not have a single iconic tourism attraction that is synonymous with the town. This lack of an iconic attraction results in the marketing of the destination being more difficult as there is no common “hook” or connection between a readily recognised product and the location.
3.1. Current Visitors
There is very limited data about visitors to Geraldine with little detailed information readily available at the Timaru District level or at the more detailed town level. At the broader RTO level the Commercial Accommodation Monitor4 is the best source of information about visitation to the region and will apply to a lesser extent to Geraldine.
The most recent edition of the Commercial Accommodation Monitor5 for the Timaru RTO shows a general increase in visitation to the region. The table below also shows the effect of the 2010 earthquake on visitation to the region with a significant depression in bed nights over the 2010 and early 2011 period.
4 http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/commercial- accommodation-monitor-data 5 http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/commercial- accommodation-monitor-data/current-month-rto-reports/south-island-regional-reports/timaru.pdf
The Commercial Accommodation Monitor also provides a breakdown of the origin of guests for the region, with approximately 21% being international visitors and 79% being domestic. The Timaru region origin of guests has a significantly higher domestic component than the national average. Nationally there is approximately 38% international guest nights and 62% domestic guest nights. The high domestic stay is a reflection of the fact that the Timaru region, including Geraldine, is not an international gateway and is also is not a destination for international visitors.
The Regional Tourism Estimates6 provide information at a regional level, which in this case is South Canterbury, and is a valuable source of visitor expenditure data. This information is also a good indicator of where the regions visitors are coming from and their relative importance. Canterbury contributes over 60% of visitor expenditure to the region, Otago 15% and the third greatest contributor is Auckland at about 7%. This concentrated expenditure profile emphasises the importance of the neighbouring regions as the greatest source of visitation and therefore they are the key target markets for Geraldine.
Australia is, as expected, the most important international visitor market and the expenditure profile of the region largely reflects the distribution of international visitor spend nationally.
Information is available on the door traffic at the Geraldine Historical Society Museum indicates that there are approximately 12,000 to 17,000 visitors through the museum on an annual basis7. Over the last five years visitation to the museum has been constant, ranging between 16,000 and 18,000 visitors per year.
6 http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/regional-tourism- estimates/regional-summaries-folder/south-canterbury-rto.pdf 7 The Geraldine Historical Society kindly provided door count data for the museum. Prior to 2007 the opening hours of the museum were shorter and consequently visitor counts lower.
Seasonality of Museum Visitation 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2013
The door counts also demonstrate the seasonal pattern of visitation to Geraldine with strong visitation in the summer months from January to March and a low season of May to September/October.
Traffic counts8 indicate that there has been a general uptrend in traffic travelling along State Highway 79 through Geraldine. Given the location of Geraldine, visitors both international and domestic will largely rely on private transport and therefore traffic counts are a useful general indicator of visitation trends and volume of visitation.
Average Daily Traffic Counts at Selected Sites 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
SH79 Upper Orari near Upper Orari Hall SH79 Geraldine Cox St North SH79 Fairlie
8 http://www.nzta.govt.nz/network/operating/counting-traffic/traffic-statistics.html
3.2 Value and Contribution of Tourism to the Timaru District Economy
Globally, tourism is the world’s largest industry with a value of over $US1.4 trillion in 2013 and accounts for 30% of the world’s trade in services. International tourism arrivals are expected to grow by 3.3% a year to 2030 to reach 1.8billion arrivals according to UNWTO forecasts.
New Zealand as an important visitor destination is experiencing some of this significant growth from Asia at the present time with international arrivals growing by 5% in 2014. The total economic contribution of tourism to the New Zealand economy has grown by 5% in the year ended March 2014 to a contribution of $23.8 billion9. The direct contribution of tourism is 4% of New Zealand’s total GDP. A further 3.1% is indirectly contributed.
The Timaru District economy has been researched and projections made for the region for the period 2013 to 2015. BERL estimates that the current GDP of the Timaru region is around $2.1Billion. 10 Using the MBIE data, the tourism economy in the region is estimated at $115M. Consequently Tourism represents around 5% of the total regional economy. By way of comparison tourism is around half the size of agriculture in the region, slightly smaller than the regional construction industry and around twice the size of the education and training sector, or the engineering industry in the region. The attributes of the tourism industry that are attractive from an economic growth perspective are that it generally has a low capital requirement, it can scale rapidly and also is able to operate within small communities and is labour intensive and does not require highly specialised labour skills.
While there is limited data on actual visitor numbers to Geraldine and the Timaru region, there is useful information that is sourced from credit card spend data11. Recent modelling by MBIE of the regional visitor spend by both international and domestic visitors shows that the South Canterbury Region has a total visitor expenditure in the region of $480M in the year ending March 2014. The total expenditure comprises a contribution of $130M from international visitors and $350M from domestic visitors to the region.
Over the last 5 years expenditure by international visitors in the region has remained relatively constant with little change over this period. This flat international visitor spend in the region mirrors the national picture with little overall change in total international visitor expenditure nationally. However there has been some regional variation with the main centres benefitting from a change in the international visitor mix. Therefore Timaru, by maintaining expenditure has done better than a number of other regions that have seem a fall in international visitor expenditure.
Domestic expenditure in the region has continued to increase over the last 5 years from an estimated $405m in 2009 to 480M in 2014. However this headline estimation masks some substantial changes in the expenditure mix that is attributed to tourism
9 http://www.med.govt.nz/about-us/pdf-library/tourism-publications/KeyTourismStatistics.pdf 10 http://www.southcanterbury.org.nz/PicsHotel/SouthCanterbury2014/Brochure/BERL%20Timaru%20Dist rict%20Industry%20Projections.pdf 11 http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/regional-tourism- estimates/regional-summaries-folder/south-canterbury-rto.pdf
in the region. Retail sales, both fuel and other automotive and other retail products accounts for $66M of the $75M of increased expenditure within the south Canterbury region. The “other tourism products” which largely describes “true” tourism activities such as attractions and visitor activities, has declined over this period. Accommodation and food and beverage categories show increases that are consistent with inflation and population increases.
On a territorial authority basis, Timaru District has enjoyed only a modest increase in tourism expenditure. Total expenditure is estimated at $115M in 2014, having increased from $108M in 2009. This contrasts with recent modelling work by BERL (Economic Development Indicators, Timaru District March 2014) where tourism is estimated to contribute $55M to the Timaru economy. While there seem to be large difference in values, different modelling approaches will lead to significant variations when small components of the economy or sample sizes in actual data collection are used. We would prefer to use the MBIE information that has, its source, actual credit card data from domestic and international visitors. However it is clear that the contribution to the Timaru District economy is most likely in the range of 3- 5%.
While the economic contribution of tourism to regional economies may be comparatively low, they do provide the marginal expenditure that makes the services enjoyed by many communities viable. Without both domestic and international visitors, Geraldine would not be able to support the current level of retail activity and diversity. In particular the retail spend of visitors on food and beverage and general retail spending for personal consumption is an important contributor to sustaining the retail environment and main street of communities. As the trend to online shopping grows, visitors will be more important in maintaining a vibrant retail offer in the town.
Forecast growth in tourism for the region has been estimated by BERL in its report on the Timaru Industry Projections to 202512. While tourism is not recorded as a separate industry, the accommodation and food services sector at a 2.3% annual growth rate and the art and recreation sector at a 3.5% growth rate, are a good proxy for the tourism sector in the region. A 2-3% growth rate would be consistent with many regional growth expectations where there is no a major influx of international visitors.
12 http://www.southcanterbury.org.nz/PicsHotel/SouthCanterbury2014/Brochure/BERL%20Timaru%20Dist rict%20Industry%20Projections.pdf
4. CONTEXT FOR THE FUTURE
4.1. Travel Trends
New Zealand tourism has shown resilience over the last 10 years as the global economy has experienced considerable uncertainty and dramatic shifts in economic position. After a negative growth rate in 2009/10, international visitors to New Zealand are again growing, with 2.84 million visitors in the year ending November 201413. International visitor spending to September 201414 increased by 10% to a total of $7240M. Free and independent and semi-independent travel in New Zealand has grown over the past ten years and currently makes up approximately 90% of international visitors10. Visitors to New Zealand are increasingly looking to engage with local people and participate in activities while experiencing New Zealand’s unique landscape.
While New Zealand is experiencing an increase in visitor numbers, there is also a significant shift in the origins of our international visitors. China has moved from being No 6 in 2004 to our No 2 visitor market in 2014. China visitors totaled 257,000 in the year ended November 2014. The longer term forecasts for the Asia Pacific region are for continued growth until at least 2030. While until recently China visitors have largely been dual destination visitors (also visiting Australia) that are short stay, focused largely on Auckland, Rotorua and Queenstown, this pattern is changing and New Zealand is receiving more visitors that are staying 7 days or more and are independent travelers.
Our more established markets of Europe, UK and USA have been significantly affected by the GFC and have experienced a significant depreciation of their currency against the $NZ. This combination of effects has resulted in a reduction in visitors from these source markets over the last 5 years. However, these markets have been in gradual recovery since 2013. The return of these markets is important for destinations such as Geraldine as visitors from these countries are generally long stay and also travel extensively around the regions of New Zealand.
Australia, our largest market, has been in growth mode for many years with New Zealand receiving 1.246M visitors in the year to November 2014, which represents a 2.9% increase. The rate of growth is expected to slow as the Australian economy slows and this means that New Zealand cannot expect to have a major increase in visitors from Australia on the coming decade. Much of the growth from Australia has been a result of increased direct flights into Queenstown for skiing. As Christchurch recovers from the earthquake and accommodation in the city is reinstated there is likely to be increase arrivals to Canterbury from Australia. At present the arrivals from Australia have stabilised at around 430,00015.
The domestic market, while at times, volatile, has shown good growth over the last 10 years. Over the longer term domestic spend and visitation is expected to grow at a level consistent with population growth and increase in overall wealth. While slow during the recent economic crisis, the domestic market in New Zealand is showing
13 http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/international- travel/international-visitor-arrivals-commentary 14 http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/tourism/tourism-research-data/international-visitor- survey/ivs-key-data/key-data-tables/ivs-ye-september-2014 15
positive signs of growth. Domestic visitors are taking approximately 15.1 million overnight trips per annum. They have an average stay of three nights away, and an 8 average spend per night of $116.
There is a g r o w i n g trend towards shorter summer breaks and more spread out use of leave. The historic experience of New Zealanders taking all their annual holidays over the Christmas/summer period has largely gone. With four weeks annual leave now the norm and a more broken school year, families are taking more breaks but shorter breaks. Travel by New Zealanders outbound is growing as well, with competition for many domestic destinations being largely international destinations. For example Christchurch residents are offered flights to Sydney for $149, whereas a flight to a New Zealand regional destination can cost considerably more.
In our view there are a wide range of factors that need to be taken into account when estimating tourism growth trajectories. We consider that the region has some potential drivers of growth that will be important over the next decade. These are:
Canterbury rebuild – with over 60% of visitor spend coming from the neighbouring region, the significant rebuild spend estimated at $40B, and associated GDP growth is expected to generate additional visitor expenditure in the surrounding region. Mackenzie country tourism developments – with the increased accommodation offers being proposed there will be increased marketing of Tekapo as a destination. This will drive traffic through Geraldine with some tourism spend spillover benefits to the region. Cruise visitation - Timaru may be a beneficiary of increased cruise visitation to NZ. Changing international visitor mix - While there has been a very strong growth in the China market in recent years, much of this growth has been from short stay “shopping tour” style tourism. This is expected to change rapidly to a more independent traveler style from China as a result of legislative changes introduced in 2013 and also increased understanding of what NZ has to offer and more sophisticated visitation. Recovery of traditional long haul markets – The traditional markets of UK, Europe and USA are long stay visitors who travel extensively around New Zealand. With the recovery of these economies we would expect that there will be a return to growth from these markets. This benefits smaller communities disproportionally. Reduced fuel costs. Should energy costs remain low for a significant period, domestic travel will be stimulated with Geraldine and the wider Timaru region being beneficiaries of reduced travel costs and also increased disposable income.
Against these positive drivers are some negative potential risks to the tourism economy in the region:
Lower airfares and reduced regional services. Declining costs of air travel is encouraging travelers to concentrate their travel to the main trunk services. Reduced regional aviation connections and their high costs are also dissuading a more extensive regional spread of domestic visitors. Reduced airfares also encourages more international travel with fares across the Tasman often being significantly lower than domestic fares.
Increased living costs as a result of incomes not keeping pace with costs such as housing and other living costs reduce the disposable income available for
discretionary activities such as travel and recreation.
Concentration of tourism investment in the main centres and tourism locations. With international visitors concentrating in a few destinations, investment follows the concentration. This in turn has the effect of increased marketing spend promoting fewer destinations with a spiral of concentration meaning smaller destinations are unable to compete in the tourism marketplace.
Urban drift northwards. With the dominance of Auckland as an employment and population growth centre, the ability of regional destinations and the South Island as a visitor and events destination is expected to become more challenging.
4.2. Challenges for Geraldine
The current visitor dynamics, both international and domestic, together with the aspirations of the local community, and wider travel and tourism trends, pose a number of challenges for the future marketing and development of Geraldine as a visitor destination. The main issues are as follows:
Geraldine is often considered a coffee stop with little on offer to encourage visitors to stay Lack of trade ready product which leads to lack of marketing in international channels and therefore lack of volume visitation A limited number of commissionable tourism products that the wholesale tourism trade will sell. Lack of awareness of what Geraldine has to offer, especially prior to the trip. Planning a trip with an end destination in the Mackenzie Country means that Geraldine is considered only as a stop rather than a destination in its own right. Competition from other tourism destinations in New Zealand which have achieved a higher level of awareness and may have larger marketing budgets. Unclear identity of the town, and also little integration of tourism product with that available in the wider region. Funding for coordination, development and promotion of Geraldine as a visitor destination is very limited. Seasonality – Geraldine as a limited destination in its own right depends on the seasonality of other destinations. As a result the region and the town are largely summer destinations with a seasonal peak between October and April. While this is quite similar to many destinations, the lack of attractions or activities to draw winter visitation makes occupancy and management of attractions more difficult and less profitable. Lack of quality activities for visitors – especially for a younger target market. In particular activities that will draw a regional youth and young families market to generate word of mouth referral and repeat business.
5. FUTURE VISITORS/ TARGET MARKETS
Geraldine is heavily reliant on the surrounding region for the bulk of its visitor market. Canterbury, and to a lesser extent the southern neighbouring regions, provide a solid domestic market base and there is significant potential for further growth in this market over the next decade as the Canterbury economy recovers and grows.
With the ageing of the New Zealand population (and also our international visitors) the domestic visitor market comprises a good potential target of retirees and couples, with or without children who are interested in nature, heritage and activities in a small town and rural environment. The experience that Geraldine can offer is well suited to these markets in particular, and future product development should consider the needs of these market segments.
International visitors, especially independent travelers that are touring New Zealand with plenty of time are also well suited to the experiences that Geraldine can offer. At the present time products that cater to New Zealand’s traditional markets of Australia, Europe and USA are likely best suited to the Geraldine products. However considerable thought needs to be given to what products and adaptations of existing products in particular will be attractive to China and other Asia visitors.
Figure 1: Potential Target Markets
Market Who? What they need Growth Potential Domestic short break – in Couples (with and without Range of accommodation options (incl private houses) High particular Christchurch and children), 25-50 Family activities the surrounding townships that are within approximately Couples 65+ interested in 2 hours driving distance. heritage, scenery, gardens, B&B’s/ motels Other southern communities food and wine, and some Range of safe attractions and activities with a moderate within 2 hours travel. physical activity, physical activity level
Domestic longer break (i.e a Couples and groups of friends Quality accommodation + excellent service Low- Med week) – Auckland, Wellington Range of dining options Food and wine and often shopping Range of activities (all weather, relaxing, some for unique and local goods ( which physical) cannot be purchased at home) International – In particular FITs Quality accommodation Med Australia, UK and Europe Interested in heritage and Range of unique, scenic and historic activities campervan and rental car travelers scenery, local foods, farm Itinerary examples, especially that include In the future, China FIT travelers experiences and some physical activity interaction with local people and communities Adventure seekers School groups from the Suitable group accommodation High surrounding regions Activities/ attractions with a learning element Clubs and sports teams Challenging outdoor and team activities International students Packaged itineraries and experiences for organisers that make the booking process easy
Weddings, reunions/significant Families for whom a central Suitable venue and a range of accommodation Med-High birthdays and other family location will facilitate meeting offerings, ideally with group capacity events Small corporate groups, special Small conference and Suitable venues with on-site high quality catering Med interest groups– NZ, particularly corporate gatherings, special For some events a combination of off- site from the South Island interest groups and small- visits/experiences and on-site facilities medium size weddings
Notes: Potential Target Markets With approximately 600 beds in the region there are around 200,000 bed nights available annually. The growth potential classification used in the table represents an estimated growth opportunity of 2000+ for high growth potential, 500-2000 for medium growth and less than 500 for low growth potential.
6. MARKETING STRATEGY
6.1. Goal
In order for the Geraldine region and township to further develop its economic base, tourism will require a more active and coordinated approach. This could achieve significant improvement in the vibrancy of the region that will lead to enhanced economic, social and environmental benefits through tourism. The tourism goal could be for:
Geraldine to be recognised as one of the most attractive and rewarding visitor experiences in the South Island
It will do this by providing a unique, quality rural New Zealand visitor experience that reflects the values of the local community and offers a diversity of experiences to a wide range of visitors.
To achieve this the destination will need to have a threshold level of high quality tourism product that meets the needs of visitors and can be effectively marketed through both retail and trade channels to the domestic and international markets.
6.2. Geraldine Destination Brand Values
Developing brand values for Geraldine as a visitor destination will help communicate the essence of Geraldine to visitors and differentiate it from other destinations.
These brand values need to be communicated through all activities associated with tourism in the Geraldine region including marketing and promotions (eg images, text, brochures, websites, events) and in the delivery of the visitor experience.
While no work has been done on articulating what the essence of Geraldine is for the visitor, South Canterbury as a region has carried out work on the essence of the region. Use of this set of brand values or a subset for Geraldine can be used as a unifying theme for the region and its products. Until this time the values, attributes and experiences of the individual products and as a proxy for the destinational brand values. Developing brand values that incorporate the aspirational, emotional and practical reasons for visitation requires research and a careful consideration of the positioning of the tourism activity in relation to those brand values. Such an exercise to build on the South Canterbury work could be considered in the longer term as a specific project.
Any brand values that are developed should be incorporated into individual business marketing communications, community activities and events activity when Geraldine as a region and town are involved.
6.3. Marketing Objectives
The marketing objectives for Geraldine can be broken down into 3 key areas:
1 Increase Awareness of Geraldine as a Visitor Destination
One of the key issues facing Geraldine as a visitor destination is the limited visibility of the town and the wider region as a place to explore and stay. A higher awareness of what Geraldine has to offer both domestic and international visitors is vital for growth. To increase awareness of Geraldine as a visitor destination, greater investment in all the ways of communicating with the market is required. Both wholesale channels, through tourism trade, wholesale distributors, Tourism New Zealand and its international marketing activity, trade shows such as TRENZ, MEETINGS and Convene South are all important mechanisms to raising awareness to volume visitor markets. In addition, reaching the “retail” market via websites, direct marketing and the visitor centre network needs to be upgraded in terms of the quality of the product offer, the quality of information available to visitors and using the most cost effective ways of reaching the individual traveler.
In the long term it is only through having quality product that is attractive to current and future visitor, that Geraldine will be able to promote itself as a highly desirable visitor destination.
2 Develop more reasons to stop and stay While Geraldine is on a popular tourist route it will continue to attract a high level of visitors that see Geraldine as a convenient stopping point. However this does not support the tourism sector in the broader region and also does not add depth to the products that are on offer in the town. Events and more “Geraldine specific” activities and attractions that can only be experienced in this location would generate a higher level of overnight and day visitation. Off season events and targeted marketing to the closest region that will generate higher numbers of day visitors and overnight visitation will be important first steps in developing Geraldine into a visitor destination where visitors can undertake a wide range of activities that they can then talk about.
3 Enhance the Geraldine Product Experience Geraldine has a small number of visitor attractions and experiences that are of an “export ready” standard. It does not have an iconic visitor experience or event that is synonymous with the destination. It also has a number of attractions that are dependent on high levels of voluntary contributions of labour and materials. In the competitive world of tourism and destination attractions there needs to be a greater emphasis on development of visitor experiences that meet and ideally exceed visitor expectations. Without the resulting word of mouth marketing that quality experiences generate, there is a risk that visitation will be coincidental rather than deliberate. In this situation visitation numbers will largely follow overall travel trends.
There have been some steps towards developing more iconic experiences such as “The Road to Mesopotamia” cruise excursion. This is the type of experience that
specific markets are looking for. Additional effort in developing bespoke experience will pay dividends to the wider destination over time. These experiences can be led by a single operator or by a cluster working closely together. The visitor is much more interested in the overall experience and a coherent experience than how the overall product is developed. Given the small size of many operators, clustering can therefore be a means of reducing the limitations of size which affects many operators.
6.4. Marketing Action Plan
6.4.1. Advertising and Promotion
What Justification Target Market Target Enhance Websites – Ensure that Key websites do not rank No 1 on search Independent travelers, Complete revision of the websites are mobile friendly engines at present. both domestic and website content within Continue to develop links to and All searches should lead to the same quality of international 12 months from other tourism portals with ; detailed information about where Geraldine is, www.gogeraldine.co.nz and how to get there, where to stay, what to do and Invest in search www.southcanterbury.org.nz how to travel around. engine optimisation.
Develop a plan for tourism content Effective use of resource to create destination Tourism operators and Within 6 months that harmonises all Geraldine awareness and provide basic information on the tourism trade. content across the different the products and experiences available within websites the region. Use RTO channels to deliver message in a cost effective way Build a contact database, either Use of competitions and feedback forms can Largely a domestic Establish the database through Facebook and/or current be used to build databases. This is a cost audience with possibly within 6 months operator contacts build a effective communication channel for updates some Australian visitors Email updates database of those with an affinity and providing information about new newsletter or deals on a for the destination attractions and events. seasonal basis, targeting winter and spring
Develop Facebook Page and Increasingly social media and YouTube are Independent travelers, Ongoing improve YouTube content channels being used to gather information on both domestic and destinations. international Encourage operators to maintain Much of the Geraldine material on YouTube is pages and content 5years old and provides a limited picture of the visitor experiences available in the region
Partner with other organisations Geraldine does not have a defined marketing Tourism operators and and participate in broader budget, therefore participating in other the tourism trade marketing initiatives campaigns is one mechanism to market to a Targeting domestic and larger audience. Australian visitors
Improve the visibility of the visitor The current visitor centre is too small for its Predominantly Reconsider location centre be relocation to a street clientele and is not as visible as it could be to international but also options as other frontage site or improved signage foot traffic in the town. some domestic spaces become The visitor centre requires sufficient space to available promote the opportunities in the region and enable visitors to obtain information on their optons Refresh promotional highway While there is good wayfinding signage for FIT travelers As budget allows. signage Geraldine, the promotional signage needs refreshing and simplification.
Develop a complete event Events can be an important driver of visitation, Principal target is Planning on an annual calendar for the region and widely especially on off peak periods. Canterbury residents basis forward with publicise through own websites They also provide a mechanism to publicise seeking day monthly revision and such as the destination and build its identity experiences and updating of databases www.southcanterbury.org.nz/even weekend stays ts and eventfinder. Target off peak seasons for new events.
Build tourism trade awareness Geraldine has very little trade/export ready International Interactive A specific project through developing export ready product. Other operators need to develop to be Travelers (Australia, requiring expertise, product and partnering with in this position. UK/ Europe) budget and support. Use existing experienced operators RTO to broker entry to new markets and channels to these markets, such as trade representation and famils
Develop media connections and Increase awareness of the destination through Local, Canterbury TV At least one editorial/ item PR opportunities, especially TV news coverage that links to the offer and radio and print media. per annum where there is widespread people of the region National broadcast coverage. Use events and people media from the region as the hook. Target tourism trade Use collective buying power to media. extract better value from print.
Develop strong destination Link the destination more strongly given their Domestic and associations with leading local national presence and heritage story. International brands ( in particular “Barker’s of Geraldine”) Develop relationships with small PCO’s and wedding planners like a range of Conference / wedding professional conference destinations to meet client needs. They planners organisers / wedding planners provide the linkages to a broad client base.
Target through trade media and professional organisations and support meetings and famils in conjunction with RTO
Notes: Advertising and Promotion Websites that promote Geraldine are limited in their ability to reach a large audience. While the sites are good from a functional basis the large traffic sites such as www.newzealand.com have little Geraldine product information. Enhancement of the information about the destination and ensuring current event information will assist in its relevance to visitors.
Facebook and YouTube are web based channels that visitors, both domestic and international, are using on a more frequent basis. The Geraldine material is limited on both sites and much of the material is amateur and old. In particular YouTube material does not show Geraldine in a positive light. There is some individual operator material on these channels that is of high quality and provide good information to potential visitors. There needs to be more visual material and also clips from events and other activities that show a current picture of Geraldine, the region and its visitor offerings.
Visitors are interested in quality content about what is on offer at a destination. Visitors are unconcerned about which organisation is responsible for the website, rather there is a need for consistent and authoritative content. Given the limited resources available and small numbers of websites hosting visitor information, investment in high quality information on attractions, activities and accommodation could be linked to all the websites rather than developing unique content for each site.
Developing a contact database provides the opportunity to communicate with existing visitors and customers. Achieving repeat business is generally
easier than continuing to obtain new business.
Partner with other organisations in buying and placing ads. This approach to collective purchasing gives the opportunity to reduce costs and also to achieve greater control over the way the product is advertised and to develop more editorial content. For example, placements in Latitude magazine from Geraldine appear to be distributed through the magazine and do not relate to any of the actual stories facing the advertisements.
The existing visitor centre is too small to support the visitor traffic during peak seasons. In addition the location has a lower visibility than one with a street presence rather than within the peaks mall. Should there be an opportunity to obtain a larger space with greater street presence relocation should be considered. While Visitor centres do not sustain themselves economically, they do enhance the visitor experience and provide a concentrated outlet for information about the region. Strong support from individual operators would be required should a larger space become available to present a quality presentation of the regions visitor experiences.
The wayfinding signage for Geraldine is comprehensive from all directions and therefore is valuable given the central location of the town. However the promotional signage appears somewhat dated and also is difficult to actually obtain a specific image of what the town has to offer when passing at 100kph. Commercial signage appears to be prolific travelling from the south (three Barker’s billboards, plus other businesses) and sparse when travelling from the north. Rectification of this would assist in providing an identity for the town.
Events are an important driver of visitation, especially from domestic markets and from surrounding regions. In addition they can provide identity to destinations16. Ensuring that all the events that are held in Geraldine, are widely marketed through all relevant channels is vitally important to ensure that the vibrancy of the destination is demonstrated as well as providing reasons to visit.
Build tourism trade awareness. Without strong representation in the tourism trade marketing channels Geraldine will continue to be underrepresented in marketing terms. There needs to be sufficient product that is trade or “export ready” and ideally qualmark accredited to ensure that it has an adequate profile on high volume websites, can be brochured by wholesalers, and ensure that there is a wide distribution of destination information to many markets.
16 Examples of events that define the destination include – Wildfood festival and Hokitika, Bluff oyster festival, Wellington 7’s tournament,
6.4.2. Product Development and Enhancement
What Justification Target Market Target Develop a collective approach At present the marketing of the All – To have agreed and to product development, destination is limited and also comprehensive collateral marketing planning and there appears to be limited for the 2016 summer execution. collective marketing season
Upgrade tourism product by Geraldine tourism product has a International Ongoing but within the achieving qualmark very small presence on visitors and to a next 2 years have 10 accreditation for all substantial www.newzealand.com and only lesser extent Geraldine tourism tourism accommodation, four Qualmarked listings. This domestic visitors businesses qualmark attractions and activities in the reduces the reputation and accredited region. quality perceptions of the tourism location and its product offer. Redevelop trade brochure once completed
Develop further recreation While there are some Domestic, in Map and signage opportunities in the nearby region recreational opportunities these particular youth and guidance by 2016 and especially connecting to are not well publicized and do family and the summer Geraldine township and also at not connect well to the town. Canterbury market Peel Forest. Establishing mountain biking Further trail development Further publicise the Orari river trails will encourage overnight dependant upon funding mountainbike track opportunities stays as well as day visitation and volunteer on the tourism websites contributions Mountainbiking is the key opportunity in the near future
Cross market at each tourism With little information on All. Using local produce by touch point of accommodation activities and experiences accommodation could be and activity. every opportunity needs to achieved now. be taken to expose the Support local producers by using visitor to the choices their products and services available where practicable
Develop commercial Diversification of activities and Active visitors and Commercial operators are opportunities that build on the products that are “only available small groups and required. current business activities in the in Geraldine” special interest region. Are there groups heritage/industrial/food experiences that can connect local producers with visitors?
Develop integrated packages of Create “ready to book” Active visitors and Collective of operators. accommodation and activities package options that make the small groups and that can be marketed to key process easy for small groups special interest target markets, e.g Peel Forest and families groups outdoor activities,
Establish Garden tours (guided Add on product for general Domestic 65 years + At least one new activity and non-guided) visitors to the area and B&B and special interest by end 2010 guests groups
Establish Farm tours (guided). In Add on product for general International visitors, Support a tourism operator particular as there is a growth in visitors especially Asia that develops such a visitors from Asia a high quality visitors product interactive farm experience could be a significant drawcard Continue to develop new events Establish a reason to families) of outside visitors to that showcase the uniqueness visit and also contribute relevant events of the area to establishing and promoting the character Priority should be given to of the Geraldine region events in the shoulder season awareness for and winter
Develop and prioritise support Geraldine has good Wider regional event for events that are in the occupancy in summer attendees shoulder seasons and needs to improve its visitor occupancy and activity in the off season. Develop a signature or iconic Geraldine is missing a All markets If in the short term attraction for the destination. It “one thing” tourism one attraction is not could be an attraction, an product that is linked to strongly identified activity or an event – but the destination. It with the destination, something that aligns with the enables synergy marketing effort will destination. between marketing the need to focus on attraction and the the longer term in destination promoting a single strong attractor of visitors
Notes: Product development and Enhancement
Much of the product offer in Geraldine is comparatively small scale, both in terms of visitor numbers as well as revenue. Cooperation is one means of establishing scale and increased bargaining power with suppliers. A collective approach will enable greater reach from each marketing $ and also the ability to present a more comprehensive picture of what Geraldine has to offer the visitor.
The limited number of Qualmark accredited tourism products severely limits the presence Geraldine has as a destination on www.NewZealand.com With over 7 million unique visits to this site it is the largest tourism website for New Zealand visitors. With Qualmark accreditation businesses get a higher profile and much more support from Tourism New Zealand to market their product to an international audience. Without a reasonable number of offers from an individual destination, it implies that the destination is not worth an overnight to the prospective international visitor. Without Qualmark accreditation TNZ will not feature the product in its promotion material or support it in overseas markets.
The secondary benefit from Qualmark accreditation is the assessment process that provides a review of the business as advice about how to improve the business to better meet the expectations of visitors.
The collateral, including some website material, that is developed, should focus on the visitor experience rather than business information. The target market for marketing is the consumer of the product and as such the experience being offered should be the focus of the communication. In addition maps to find the offer, hours and pricing are important components that visitors require to make purchase decisions.
With the strategic location of Geraldine and a comparatively high number of FIT travelers passing through the town, the opportunities for Geraldine to increase its visitor experience with more recreational opportunities is significant. Mountain biking is experiencing a major increase in popularity and the NZ Cycle trails will both increase the opportunities and the demand for biking experiences. The opportunities for forest rides and a variety of terrain close to accommodation is an attractive option for many families. More leisurely rides of grade 1 and 2 terrain will attract a higher number of users. Through family experiences and an increased youth exposure to Geraldine product, a broader visitor mix for the region will result. There is also the opportunity
with Peel forest to offer integrated packages that include accommodation and a diversity of experiences for families including horse treks, rafting and mountain biking.
Cross marketing within the tourism sector in Geraldine benefits all the operators over the long run. With often limited time, visitors are seeking to learn about accommodation options, food and beverage and activities quickly and efficiently. While there may be a sense of competition between some activities etc, over the longer term visitors will make choices about what they select and it is better that the visitor is offered the choice rather than not know about what is available in a region. In addition, initiatives such as having Barker’s products in accommodation and other local products reinforce the uniqueness and authenticity of the destination.
While there are some nationally recognised brands, and in particular Barker’s of Geraldine which appears on every supermarket shelf in the country, but also Heartland potato chips and Talbot Forest cheese, there appears to be very limited opportunities for visitors to interact with these products/businesses in a more specific and experiential way. One of the drivers of visitation and word of mouth commentary afterwards is unique experiences. There do not appear to be any seasonal specific or Geraldine-specific products or experiences that enable the visitor to have some “brag value” about going to visit and stay in Geraldine.
The development and support of packages for groups is an activity that could be carried out in conjunction with ADT staff to enable better marketing and more efficient interaction with the domestic groups market. Most groups are reliant on volunteers to organise travel and assistance by offering ready developed itineraries and packages enables the booking process to be completed in a more efficient manner. Having packages also enables the destination to market collectively to a wider set of potential visitors.
Garden tours, Farm tours, heritage tours are all potential products that draw on existing infrastructure and resources in the region. The opportunity that exists is for self-drive and guided experiences to these attractions. Marketing needs to be targeted and the offer would not draw a mass market. However combined with other activities it could be an attractive adjunct to other business activities. In addition, these types of tours could be readily combined with food and beverage experiences such as lunches at homesteads to create full day experiences in the region.
Events are an important part of attracting visitors to destinations. They create a reason to visit. Geraldine already has a number of successful events that attract a significant visitation. The challenge is to develop new events and grow existing events to a size that is compatible with the scale of the region and town infrastructure. While growing the arts and plants event might be relatively easy, if the town cannot provide accommodation or food services to cope with the numbers then the quality of the experience will be diminished. A more attractive option is to duplicate or create a new event at a different time17. Seasonality is an important factor in Geraldine tourism as well with the summer visitation being significantly higher than winter visitation. While it might be challenging to establish a winter event, extending the shoulder season by promoting events that can be held in autumn and spring means the town has capacity to host additional visitors over these periods.
17 Examples of this approach include the Martinborough fair, two duplicate events held four weeks apart in the summer. Another example is the Hawkes Bay food and wine event FAWC which now has a summer and a winter event run along the same lines. Both spread the demand while growing the visitation.
6.4.3. Research and Monitoring
What Justification Target Market Target Add a door counter at the visitor To identify where visitors are Visitors who make 80% of tourism operator centre to measure total visitor coming from and link to their inquiries at the visitor participation numbers and continue to survey information requirements to centre Quarterly or 6 monthly inquires to assess origin of visitors enable targeting of promotions reporting back to local and their interests and material. Operators will benefit tourism industry. from better information.
Continue to monitor Web Analytics To establish effectiveness of A useful tool to assess Set up reporting by end of and collect any operator web marketing initiatives and website investments 2015 statistics establish an understanding of and ensure that the Quarterly or 6 monthly which channels are most website is performing reporting. effective
Report back to operators on Feedback on visitor Quarterly or 6 monthly information about visitors and their characteristics and volumes reporting. characteristics. should assist operators to understand the dynamics of visitation and visitor preferences
Notes: Research and Monitoring A door counter at the visitor centre will provide a broad measure of visitors to the town. It is unlikely that national collection of data will ever provide detailed information at the smaller community level. As a result the community will need to collect its own information in a cost effect manner.
As a complement to the physical visitation information, website traffic data provides a picture of those who have considered Geraldine as a destination and/or gathered information from websites. This is increasingly the way visitors decide and select their tourism purchases. Once a picture has been built up comparisons should be made and benchmarked against the performance of any similar sites and larger south Canterbury sites to ensure that the Geraldine information is capturing its market share of visitor research.
Having quality information about the overall performance of Geraldine in attracting visitors will enable private operators to assess their performance and also make sound investment decisions. Without good information it is difficult to make good decisions about development of additional tourism product or improvements to existing product.
7. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
7.1. Tourism Industry Coordination and Action
For the strategy to be implemented, and to ensure that Geraldine is maximising the tourism opportunities, the industry needs to work more closely together. Without a collaborative approach individual operators will need to each explore opportunities in isolation and without the ability to share information and learn from each other. A collective approach, perhaps facilitated by Go Geraldine could develop a regular programme of information sharing and learning from others. This is one approach that would enable operators from the whole region to network with one another and also learn about business development tools, tourism industry schemes (eg Qualmark, Sustainable programmes, marketing tips) and approaches to marketing.
In the longer term, and as a separate project, applying the brand values of the region needs to be activated. Adoption of a clear identity for the region by the industry would ensure that a coherent and consistent message was clearly marketed to both the domestic and international visitor. The existing activity by ADBT which has resulted in a brand and logo for South Canterbury provides the basis for this brand activation.
The industry in Geraldine needs to take greater advantage of the skills and resources that already exist within the region, and in particular those that are available within ADBT and the regional tourism organisation. It is through connecting with this organisation that there will be cost effective means of interacting with education training and also marketing to wider international and domestic markets.
7.2. Ownership
This strategy will require support from all the stakeholder in the region. In particular, ADBT, the Geraldine Community Board and Go Geraldine will be important catalysts to its implementation. However it is the tourism businesses that will ultimately determine the success of the strategy by adopting the strategy and investing in its implementation in the businesses in the region.
While there is potential for competition between individual businesses, there needs to be a greater level of coordination and cooperation by all businesses to grow the overall visitation to the town and the wider region. Cross selling and a good understanding of what the region has to offer is vital to ensuring visitor that stay are exposed to all the activity and experience options within the region.
Additional investment in the website is warranted as this is the most cost effective pathway to reaching current and future visitors. Developing common brand values project that warrants consideration as a separate project. A future location for the visitor centre SITE that is more visible and larger would also pay some dividends.
7.3. Funding
Allocation of funding to support the promotion of Geraldine can only come from a limited number of sources. As a result there needs to be efficient use of scarce marketing funds.
At present there is a fundamental shift in the marketing of tourism to visitors. There is a rapid shift to on line marketing and away from print media. Similarly the move from web based information to users accessing data on mobile platforms has been rapid.
In addition there is a challenge to get cut through in a crowded market. Concentration of high quality information is increasingly the key to getting cut through. While previously having a quality website was paramount, now there is demand for quality content and content being kept up to date, and ideally constantly changing. The greatest risk is to disaggregate effort and to have many small pieces of information in the marketplace.
Spending significant funds is beyond the reach of the Geraldine community. However there already exists a viable platform for tourism in the district with the Go Geraldine website and the South Canterbury website (developed by ADBT). The challenge is to maintain their currency, make the links efficient and accessible. In addition there is a need to ensure that the sites remains mobile friendly.
The current visitor centre is challenging with its visibility and small size which limits its ability to effectively market the destination. While the current location is cost effective, it does appear to be far too small for its purpose. In addition signage is limited. A street frontage for the visitor centre and improved signage would enhance its accessibility.
Visitor centres are not a panacea to increasing visitation. They are expensive to run and require low costs and high foot traffic volume to be commercially viable.
The two functions of the visitor centre mean that there is generally additional community funding required to sustain them in small communities. This may take the form of concessionary rental costs, volunteers to staff the visitor centre, direct funding, possibly by way of grant to the community, and other mechanisms to support a higher level of activity that can be supported by direct sales revenue.
Visitor centres are well patronised by the travelling visitor, and in particular independent travelers who are here for some time. Geraldine has the advantage of being well beyond the gateways for international visitors and therefore those that do enter the visitor centre will have had previous experience elsewhere.
Sales of merchandise and travel bookings that attract a commission are the two main revenue sources for visitor centres. In addition many also generate some income by charging for brochure displays and in store advertising (although this is a declining
share of income for most). In the longer term and/or when the opportunity arises consideration of the best location for the visitor centre and its funding should be considered. It needs to be recognised that over the longer term visitor centres fulfil two functions – a commercial one of achieving sales and receiving income, but also enhancing the visitor experience by providing quality information about the destination.
Further development and incorporation of the brand values of the region into al tourism marketing is a specific project that is important over the longer term and in particular ensuring a coherent presentation of the tourism product of the whole region. There is a lot of tourism product in the region that does not have a presence or linkage with the main visitor traffic through Geraldine and a more integrated approach to marketing though a common approach, common branding that reflects an agreed set of brand values would improve the performance of the overall region.
The proposal outlined in this strategy are largely those that can be achieved through the use of existing resources as activities, websites and infrastructure is renewed. It is therefore intended that there be a progressive implementation over 2 -3 years as the resources of the tourism organisations and businesses in the region become available.
GERALDINE COMMUNITY BOARD
FOR THE MEETING OF 1 APRIL 2015
Report for Agenda Item No 15
Prepared by Peter Nixon Chief Executive
Exclusion of the Public
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Recommendation That the Board resolves to exclude the public on the grounds contained in Section 48(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act:
Confirmation of Minutes - Section 7(2)(a) The withholding of the information is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons.”
Timaru District Council Geraldine Community Board #926097 51 1 April 2015